SD-WAN to the Rescue: Digitally Empowered Distributed Organizations Need New Network Solutions November 07, 2018 Forrester Consulting SD-WAN false Hughes recently commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct an independent study on distributed store networks, delving into challenges today and approaches to solve those challenges. We invited Forrester Consulting to share some highlights from this October 2018 study, “Digital Transformation Drives Distributed Store Networks To The Breaking Point." To read the full report click here. Think about all the applications that stores rely on today to deliver powerful, differentiated experiences for their customers and employees. From digital and mobile payment solutions that make it easier for customers to buy in store, to in-store analytics that enable marketers to be smarter about their customers, to inventory management applications that make sure shelves are stocked, and of course, free in-store WiFi for customers – these technologies underpin the modern store experience. The network fabric supporting these applications must deliver on security, availability, bandwidth, and performance. Unfortunately, our survey of 100 network operations and technology decision-makers at distributed retail and financial services companies with 200 or more physical locations shows that their current networks and support teams cannot meet those requirements: It takes the right technology, paired with the right network support partner, to meet the network requirements of digitally empowered distributed organizations. SD-WAN (software-defined WAN) is a solution that many are exploring to help close the gaps in their current network capabilities today. SD-WAN serves large distributed networks by delivering: • Connectivity – transport agnostic, VPN overlay seamlessly connects cloud & data center resources • Security – end to end visibility and threat protection at the branch, data center, and cloud access points • Quality – traffic shaping, path control and optimization means high availability, performance & user experience While thirty percent of our survey respondents are using SD-WAN today, an additional 53% have plans to adopt in the next two years. Just as stores are looking for new technologies to meet customer and user expectations, they are also looking to change how they support those network technologies as well. Third party managed service providers can help highly distributed organizations by providing: • Scalable support staff across geographies for 24x7 network deployment and support • Specialized skills and tools to help solve complex network issues, informed by best practices • Services plans optimized for cost, availability and performance Two-thirds of stores we surveyed would like to use a managed service provider, either exclusively or in conjunction with internal resources to manage their networks in the future. The numerous applications that define the modern store experience are pushing the networks that support them to the breaking point. Insufficient performance, high costs and damaging network outages plague today’s distributed store networks. Many of the companies we surveyed are looking to SD-WAN and managed service providers to solve these challenges and deliver differentiated customer experiences and drive operational efficiencies To read the full Forrester report click here. Categories See All SD-WAN (53) Networking (25) Retail Technology (20) Managed Security (11) EMV (10) SASE (8) Managed Services (8) Conference (7) Digital Media (5) Edge Computing (5) WiFi Analytics (4) SCS (1) Popular Blogs The Outdoor EMV C-store Cybersecurity Gap Feb 22, 2021 The Technology Problem in FranchisingFeb 22, 2021 Rebuilding Trust between Franchisors and FranchiseesFeb 25, 2021 Connectivity is Critical to the Convenience 2.0 ExperienceMar 19, 2021 Hughes Employees Who’ve Shaped an IndustryApr 12, 2021 Related Posts See All Digital Transformation is in High Gear Going into 2021 Mike Tippets, Vice President, Enterprise Marketing January 22, 2021 The Role of AI in Banking Tim Tang, Director, Enterprise Solutions December 22, 2020 What’s Driving the Accelerated Adoption of SD-WAN? Shahid Javed November 05, 2020 When Telework is No Longer Temporary September 29, 2020 The Self-Healing Powers of ML and AI Seejo Sebastine September 15, 2020 ENJOY THIS POST? Provide your email below to receive a monthly round-up of what’s happening in the world of connectivity! First Name Last Name Email Company Campaign ID CAPTCHA This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.